• Still in good spirits: Cheryl Coates with photo of her late husband, and neighbours Doug and Pauline Bolton. Photo
by Clare Kenyon

A CHARITY tin raising money for the Motor Neurone Disease (MND) annual drive was stolen from the Booragoon TAB last Friday.

The tin had just $30-$50 inside but TAB worker Cheryl Coates says every little bit helps.

Ms Coates’ husband died in 2008 from MND, something that can affect anyone at any age and has no cure. It left Terry Coates with no muscle control, loss of speech and a dependence on others for all aspects of day-to-day life.

It costs $5500 to enter the MND drive so the theft has Ms Coates behind the eight-ball. She first entered last year, travelling from Perth to Carnarvon with MND-affected neighbour Doug Bolton, his wife Pauline, and a group of friends. For four days they stopped at little towns along the way, shaking tins and entertaining people. Last year the drive raised $250,000 for the MND association and they hope to do it again in October when they drive from Fremantle to Esperance.

“I’m not sure if I will be here by October, but it gives me something to look forward to and to stay alive for,” Mr Bolton told the Herald.

Ms Coates says it’s hard to raise the money and everyone’s upset about the theft.

“The tin was there for two months and all the regulars know me so they always put their change in.

“When things like this happen it puts people off donating.”

She says a woman using a cigarette lighter burned the security cable the tin was attached to.

by CLARE KENYON